


One

by Feelingflamesagain



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-17 23:05:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18974269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feelingflamesagain/pseuds/Feelingflamesagain
Summary: 14 600 005 or How to change the definition of winning





	One

**Author's Note:**

> A little something angsty I wrote after watching Endgame. The scene on Titan was made so much layered and tragic and brilliantly played.  
> Massive thanks to [Duskybatfishgirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/duskybatfishgirl) for your indispensable help.  
> Everything good about it is hers, any errors are mine. xx

„You’re back. You’re alright.”

Stephen was not known for being easily lost for word. But was there any way to even start to convey how much not alright he was? Or, come to that, how much not alright Tony would be.

He had always hated that part. The moment when he had to admit failure. Not that there had been many of those; he had made sure of it. By being excellent, yes, that too. But also by not taking on potentially lost causes.

“Hi …”

His eyes darted around, away from Tony’s inquiring and increasingly desperate look. 'Give me something, wizard. Anything.'  
Unspoken, but for Stephen the words were as loud and clear as if he had screamed in his face.  


14 600 005.

The enormity of the number hung heavily in the air. We are basically fucked, it implied, even before Tony asked in how many of the scenarios they did win.

One. 

It was a lie. 

He had to lie to Tony so they could even make it to this ‘one’. 

 

It had been the first outcome he saw. Right until the end he had thought it would be OK. Until it wasn’t. So he kept looking. He didn't use to give a lost cause any second thought. Now he gave it 14 600 004.  
Until he could feel the blood in his veins burning through his skin and his brain starting to boil as he drew more and more energy from the multiverse. One more try. Just one more. The next would surely be the one where they beat the purple bastard, and Stephen wouldn't have to admit to Tony what was becoming more and more inevitable.

How do you tell someone they are not going to make it? When he still worked as a surgeon he had found ways to avoid this part of the job. Dying a 1000 times at the hands of Dormammu had felt like a breeze in comparison.

Eventually he forced himself to look Tony in the eye. Stephen owed him that much, and he hoped the man recognised and understood the truth underneath, from all the words he didn’t say and couldn’t disguise on his face at the same time.  
The pieces had to be put into place, and he had to sacrifice the King. 

A shaky breath, barely more than a whisper, the single word like splintering glass on his lips. 

“One.”


End file.
